Running back Clinton Portis has a mild high ankle sprain that could sideline him for practice this week, but he expects to be available for the Redskins' next game against the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 5.
Portis sustained the injury in the third quarter of Sunday's 36-22 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
The Redskins have a bye this weekend, and Portis said he will use the opportunity to rest his ankle and get healthy for the remainder of the season.
On Monday, he was walking outside Redskins Park with a protective boot around his injured ankle.
Portis had 12 carries for 43 yards in Sunday's loss to the Colts. He also caught four passes for 21 yards.
Portis had one rushing yard after his first seven carries against the Colts' 32nd-ranked run defense. Then he broke off a 34-yard gain.
But once the Colts established a 19-point second-half lead in the third quarter, the Redskins shifted to passing the ball and Portis was sidelined so that he would not re-aggravate his ankle injury.
Portis acknowledges that it hasn't been an easy transition to Al Saunders' new offense this season. He was slowed in preseason and early in the regular season due to a shoulder injury.
The fifth-year running back has been lobbying for more carries, but he knows that Saunders and offensive coaches want to spread the ball around.
Portis said on Monday that players have "bought into" the new offense employed by Saunders, but that the inconsistency has bred a lack of confidence.
"When we aren't getting the production that we know we're capable of, you start to question yourself," he said.
Portis has an answer for the questions, though.
"I feel like I can adapt to anything," he said. "I'm going to keep pressing. I'm going to keep running no matter what the case is."
So far this season, Portis has rushed for 414 yards on 98 carries, with six touchdowns. He also has 15 catches for 155 yards. He was slowed early in the year by a shoulder injury suffered during preseason and sat out the Week 2 game at Dallas.
Portis is on pace to rush for 887 yards on 210 carries this season.
Ladell Betts has been getting more carries this season. Betts has 59 carries for 275 yards, a 4.7 yards-per-carry average, so far this season and he is on pace to set career-high marks.
Betts has proven to be effective as a receiver coming out of the backfield. He is second on the team in receptions with 23 catches for 193 yards. Both are career-high marks for the fifth-year back.
-- BYE WEEK INJURY UPDATE
#### -- THANKING THE FANS
For the second day in a row, Joe Gibbs on Monday thanked fans for coming out to Redskins Park on Saturday afternoon to see the team off on its trip to Indianapolis.
"We were leaving to head out to the game and we had a group of fans standing out there," Gibbs said. "First of all it shocked me. Here we are at 2-4. Can you imagine any other place in the NFL where you have a block of fans that come and see the team off? I appreciate all of those guys showing up.
"Then unbelievably last night we had a heck of a group standing out there [to welcome the team back]. It was fun for me to get out and talk to them. It was a tough day, but for them to be there, I really appreciate them. I want to say thanks to all of those fans that were out there."
